Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We are continuing our consideration of the NTMA financial statements for 2018. In this session, we are dealing specifically with the State Claims Agency, which is part of the overall NTMA. I welcome the new witnesses, who are Mr. Greg Dempsey, deputy Secretary General, governance and performance, in the Department of Health; from the HSE Mr. Patrick Lynch, national director, quality assurance and verification; and Ms Mairéad Dolan, assistant chief financial officer.

I wish to advise the witnesses that by virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act 2009 they are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their evidence to the committee. If they are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and continue to so do, they are entitled thereafter only to a qualified privilege in respect of their evidence. They are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings is to be given and asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, they should not criticise nor make charges against any person, persons or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable.

It is not a formal script but we touched on the matter in the opening remarks this morning. Mr. Breen might give us a two-minute pen picture of the overall number and value of claims from last year to this year. We are not looking for a lot; just a two-minute pen picture of where the agency is at and then we will take questions.